The present invention relates to organometallic compounds, and particularly relates to .beta.-diketonate complexes of magnesium and zinc which exhibit unusually high volatility.
Volatile metal complexes are of interest for a variety of applications including fuel additives, metal vapor sources, and gas transport reagents. A useful discussion of .beta.-diketonate complexes and their uses is provided by R. E. Sievers et al. in Science 201 [4352], pages 217-223 (July 1978), wherein numerous references to these complexes and methods for their preparation are cited.
The metal complexes or chelates of the anion of hexafluoroacetylacetone 1,1,1,5,5,5,-hexafluoro-2,4-pentanedione), having the formula [CF.sub.3 --CO--CH--CO--CF.sub.3 ].sup.- and hereinafter abbreviated (hfa).sup.- have been the specific objects of study. For example, the complexes Cd(hfa).sub.2, Mg(hfa).sub.2 and Zn(hfa).sub.2 are known, although these complexes are most frequently isolated as adducts with the solvents used in their preparation, such as H.sub.2 O and NH.sub.3. The adducted complexes Cd(hfa).sub.2.NH.sub.3.H.sub.2 O, Cd(hfa).sub.2.2H.sub.2 O and Zn(hfa).sub.2.2H.sub.2 O, the latter being referred to as hydrates, have been prepared and reported by S. C. Chattoraj et al. in J. Inorg. Nucl. Chem. 28 (1966) pages 1937-1943.